Sliding device for ski heel binding

ABSTRACT

A SLIDING DEVICE FOR A SKI BOOT HEEL BINDING INCLUDES A BASE WITH A NUMBER OF EVENLY SPACED PROJECTIONS AND A WORN (A SHORT REVOLVING SCREW GEAR) CONNECTED TO A BODY OF THE SKI BINDING. THE END OF THE WORM IS PROVIDED WITH A GROOVE. WHEN THE WORM IS ROTATED, USING A SCREWDRIVER OR OTHER SUITABLE TOOL, BY MEANS OF THE GROOVE, THE WORM AS WELL AS THE SKI HEEL BINDING WILL MOVE FORWARD OR REARWARD BECAUSE OF THE WORM&#39;&#39;S ENGAGEMENT WITH THE PROJECTION ON THE BASE.

NOV. 7, 1972 M|c|-|[Q"||ZUKA ETAL 3,762,194

SLIDING DEVICE FOR SKI HEEL BINDING Filed July 17, 1970 2 Sheets-Sheet lNov. 7, 1972 M|CH|Q ZUKA ET AL 3,72,194

SLIDING DEVICE FOR SKI HEEL BINDING 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 17, 1970United States Patent 3 702 194 SLIDING DEVICE FOR SKI HEEL BINDINGMichio Iizuka, Tokyo, and Toshikazu Kikuchi, Ichikawa, Japan, assignorsto Hope Kabushiki Kaisha, Tokyo,

Japan Filed July 17, 1970, Ser. No. 55,632 Claims priority, applicationJapan, Jan. 12, 1970, 45/ 3,352 Int. Cl. A63c 9/00 US. Cl. 280-1135 T 2Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A sliding device for a ski boot heelbinding includes a base with a number of evenly spaced projections and aworm (a short revolving screw gear) connected to a body of the ski heelbinding. The end of the worm is provided with a groove. When the worm isrotated, using a screwdriver or other suitable tool, by means of thegroove, the worm as well as the ski heel binding will move forward orrearward because of the worms engagement with the projections on thebase.

The present invention relates to ski equipment and more particularly toa sliding device for a ski boot heel binding.

Usually, a ski has fixed thereto so-called safety bindings which securethe ski boot to the ski during skiing. The binding grips the toe and theheel of the ski boot, the heel binding device being provided with ameans which is slidable forward and rearward to adjust to the size ofthe boot.

As such sliding devices, various types are known. For example, in onetype, the base of the ski heel binding includes, at its rear end, avertical wall with a hole. A body slidable forward and rearward on thebase is operatively connected to the base by means of a long adjustingscrew. The screw is held stationary in the hole in the vertical wall ofthe base and is engaged with the rear end of the slidable body. When aknob on the adjusting screw is rotated, the body is moved forward orrearward to the desired position. However, in that type of device, theadjustment screw is relatively long in order to have space foradjustment. Therefore, the screw tends to be corroded or deformed, sothat it may be useless while other parts of the binding are stilloperable.

It is the objective of the present invention to provide an improvedsliding device for ski heel bindings which is extremely simple tomanufacture and operate and which is protected from corrosion anddeformation, and in which the worm may be easily rotated.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as furtherobjectives and features thereof, reference is made to the followingdetailed description to be read in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a ski heel binding having a sliding deviceof the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned side view of the ski heel binding shownin FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the ski heel binding having a slidingdevice of another embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a partially sectioned side view in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pad.

Reference numeral indicates a narrow base which is fixed to the top of aski by three fixing holes 12, 13, and 14 shown by dotted line in FIG. 1.A number of regularly spaced projections 11 (ridges) are formed on theflat surface of the rear portion of the base 10, substantiallytransversely across the base. Reference numeral 20 indicates theslidable body of a heel ski binding which is guided on the base 10. Thebody 20 of the ski heel binding is not described in detail, as it is nota part of the present invention. The rear portion of the body 20includes a member for holding one end portion of a tubular bushing 22.The axis of the bushing 22 is parallel to the base 10. A worm 24 (shortrevolvable screw), having an integral shaft portion 23, is fitted intothe hole of the bushing 22 so that the worm 24 may be rotatable aboutits axis but may not move laterally. The worm 24, when sfixed in place,with its shaft portion 23 within the hole of the bushing, meshes withthe said projections 11 on the plate 10. The projections 11 are spacedapart slightly more than the width of the gear teeth of the worm 24.Between the worm 24 and the end of the bushing 22, a plate washer 25 isinterposed. The end of the worm 24 is provided with a groove 26.

The body 20 may be slid forward or rearward on the plate 10 by rotatingthe worm 24. The worm 24 may be rotated by engaging a screwdriver orother suitable instrument within the groove 26. Preferably theprojections 11 are formed integral with the other parts of the base 10,i.e., while the base is being stamped or cast or pressed from metal.

In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 the base 10 is provided witha longitudinally elongated hole 15 at the rear center end thereof andtwo smal holes 16 laterally spaced in front of the elongated hole 15. Apad 30 is interposed between the ski 40 and the base 10 as shown in FIG.4. As is best shown in FIG. 5, the pad 30 is provided with alongitudinally elongated hole 31 which shape is the same as theelongated hole 15 in the base and two projections 32 to be snugly fittedin the small holes 16 in the base 10.

The pad 30 is made of synthetic resin, for example, ABS resin to beslidable relative to the upper surface of the ski 40 and is slightlyincreased in thickness toward the rear end of the ski so that the base10 may be kept horizontal on the ski which is being slightly bent upwardat the center portion thereof to possess an elasticity. A screw 17 whichhead is larger in diameter than the transverse length of the elongatedhole 15 passes through the elongated holes 15 and 31 in the base 10 andthe pad 30, respectively, and engaged in the ski 40. The rear end of thebase 10 is so engaged to the ski 40 that, when the ski is bent up anddown in skiing, the rear end of the base 10 as well as the pad 30 can bemoved within the range of the elongated holes 15 and 31, keeping thebase 10 horizontal at any time.

Furthermore, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a screw 27 isthreaded through the bush 22 at right angles relative to the axis 23 ofthe worm 24 and locks the worm when engaged with the axis 23 to preventthe worm from loosening while skiing.

As described hereinbefore, the present invention relates to a slidingdevice for a ski heel binding, the body 20 of which is fixed on theupper surface of a ski. The said base 10 is, in its rear fiat surface,provided wtih a number of regularly spaced projections 11 aligned in thelengthwise direction thereof. The said body 20 has, on the rear portionthereof, a member 21 for holding one end portion of a bushing 22 withthe axis of the bushing hole being parallel to the base 10. A worm 24has its smooth shaft portion 23 fitted into the hole of the bushing 22with its shaft end peened over to retain the shaft portion 23 in thebushing hole. The worm rotates about its axis and will not movelaterally. The gear teeth of worm 24 mesh with the projections 11 and aplate washer 25 is interposed between the said worm 24 and one end ofthe bushing 22.

Such a construction is advantageous in that a number of regularly spacedprojections 11 aligned on the rear flat surface of the base 10 may beformed under pressure integral with other parts of the base 10, theprojections will not be deformed even if some pressure is applied tothem, and they may be integrally formed so as to be extremely resistantto corrosion. The worm 24, which is overhung from the rear portion ofthe body 20, and the shaft integral with the worm, may be formedintegrally in a small size and have trouble-free rotation. Accordingly,the assembly is extremely simple and protected from corrosion anddeformation.

Furthermore, the insertion of the pad 30 between the base and the ski 40in such a manner as disclosed with reference to FIGS. 3 to 5 will keepthe base horizontal at any time, thereby preventing the engagement ofthe worm 24 with the projections 11 from being disengaged.

In addition, the worm will not be rotated about its axis by vibration,or other accidental movement, to dislocate the body as the screw 27locks the worm.

What is claimed is: 1. A sliding device for a ski heel bindingcomprising a base and a body, the base being adapted to be attached tothe upper surface of a ski and provided at the rear portion thereof witha plurality of projections aligned at fixed intervals substantiallytransversely across said base, the body of the ski heel binding beingslidable along the lengthwise direction of the base, a bushing fixed tosaid body with the axis of the bushing hole being parallel to said base,and a worm having a shaft portion having an axis of rotation, said shaftportion being secured within the hole of the bushing and rotatabletherein while prevented from moving laterally, said worm having means tobe rotated, wherein said worm engages with said projections of the base,further comprising a pad interposed between the base and the ski to keepthe base horizontal at.

any timefsaid pad being fixed to the base but slidably in contact withthe upper surface of the ski, and wherein the base is provided at therear end thereof with a longitudinally elongated hole and two laterallyspaced holes in front of said elongated hole, the pad is provided with alongitudinally elongated hole and two projections snugly fitted in saidholes in the base, and a screw passes through these elongated holes inthe base and the pad and is engaged with the ski.

2. A sliding device for a ski heel binding comprising a base and a body,the base being adapted to be attached to the upper surface of a ski andprovided at the rear portion thereof with a plurality of projectionsaligned at fixed intervals substantially transversely across said base,the body of the ski heel binding being slidable along the lengthwisedirection of the base, a bushing fixed to said body with the axis of thebushing hole being parallel to said base, and a worm having a shaftportion having an axis of rotation, said shaft portion being securedwithin UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1967 Reuge 2801l.35 T 3/1969 Suhner2801l.35 T

BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner R. R. SONG, Assistant Examiner

